Celebrating Successes

I just got back from the gym for the second time this week! Considering I hadn't been in over a month, this is very exciting. I was still able to do almost all of the workout I was doing regularly in March and April - which surprises me, because I've been so inconsistent lately. I'm focusing a lot on celebrating success and working through disappointment this week. For example, I could get frustrated that it was more difficult to do my ab workout today than it was 3 months ago. OR, I could celebrate that I was still able to do it, even if it was hard. I could get frustrated that I haven't been able to break the 2-minute consistent running mark yet, or I could celebrate that I am still able to run for 2 minutes without feeling like I'm going to pass out. When I first started working out, I couldn't even run 1 lap without going over my maximum heart rate!

I'm also looking at positive changes I've made in my body that might not be visible from the outside. For one, my resting heart rate has dropped significantly from when I first started working out. Right now, it's sitting at about 76-80 bpm. In January, I'm pretty sure it was around 96 bpm. So, I have a much healthier heart in general. My heart also recovers much more quickly after intense cardio activity. It only takes about 30 seconds for my heart rate to significantly decrease when I switch from running to walking. It used to take about a minute and half. This, in addition to low resting heart rate, is key to having a healthy heart. Lastly, I have MUCH less pain in my feet and back than I did in January. My feet used to ache in the morning - the doctor said it was tendonitis in my heels. I had trouble walking when I first got out of bed. Now, my feet don't hurt at all anymore! And my back would be sore after working at the restaurant, or if I slept on it wrong, or after anything strenuous that made me use my back muscles, really. And it very rarely bothers me. Both of these have been solved, I think, by a combination of both losing weight and using yoga to improve my balance and posture. It's amazing all the things that yoga can do. And speaking of which - I believe I'm going to go do some yoga on the wii fit my mom bought not too long ago. Happy gym-going, friends!